THE SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES 



free from their birth, and have been instituted upon 

 principles of absolute independence. 



It is not to be denied that in theory an attractive 

 picture may be imagined in the mind of a British Imperial 

 Scientific Association with the Royal Society at the head, 

 and all the special Societies as independent Common- 

 wealths so far as their internal interests are concerned, but 

 federated with it for all purposes of advancing knowledge 

 by research and discussion, and for the distribution of 

 new knowledge by common methods of publication. 



Such a picture, like a beautiful mirage, disappears as 

 we approach nearer to consider in detail the practical 

 working of such an Association of Societies. 



Speaking for myself alone, the Committee were, I think, 

 fully justified in the decision to which they came in re- 

 commending that the Royal Society, both as to its ad- 

 ministration and its work, should remain as heretofore free 

 from any trammels of obligations undertaken with other 

 Societies. Whatever the views we may hold personally on 

 this point, there can be little doubt that it would not be for 

 the welfare of the Society to re-open, at the present time, 

 a question which was recently settled by a considerable 

 majority of a Committee after a very prolonged and 

 searching inquiry. 



The question which still remains open, and which, it 

 seems to me, we may profitably consider now, is whether it 

 would not be possible, without entering into any formal 



relationship with the special Societies, for the Royal Society 



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